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Cam and Follower: Definition, Types, Working Principle, and Applications
Cam and Follower: Definition, Types, Working Principle, and Applications
and Applications
Types of Cam:
There are various types of cams available, that are listed
below:
Cylindrical Cam:
The cylindrical cam has a groove in a cylindrical surface and
the follower runs on the cylindrical surface parallel to the axis
of the cylinder.
Translating Cam:
Translating cam has a grooved or contoured plate and its
follower oscillate in the face of the plate. The groove or the
contour has specified the motion of the follower.
Wedge Cam:
The wedge cam has an angled flat regular contour to impart a
specific motion of the follower.
Spiral Cam:
The spiral cam has a half-circular or a spiral shaping grooved
contour, the cam moves in reciprocating motion and the
follower moves vertically to the axis of the cam.
Heart-shaped Cam:
This type of cam looks like an asymmetric heart. It is mainly
used to return a shaft to hold the cam to a set position by its
pressure from a roller.
What is a Follower?
A follower is a rotating or an oscillating element of a machine
that follows the motion of cam by direct contact.
Types of Follower:
There were various types of follower which are bellowed:
Knife-edge Follower:
This type of follower has a sharp area of contact with the cam.
This is the simplest among all of the followers and these kinds
of followers are not in use in the case of fast application,
because of its sharp edge.
Roller Follower:
This type of follower is mainly used in high-speed operation
because it has a smooth contact with the surface. This type of
follower has less wear and tear as compared to the other
followers.
Flat-faced Follower:
This type of follower looks like a flat surface with an irregular
cam. This type of cam is used when the space is limited and
this follower can resist more side thrust. This follower can also
be used in a precision application.
Spherical Follower:
This type of follower has a curved but regular follower as well
as cam. This is a modification of a flat-faced follower.
Radial Follower:
In this type of follower, the line of movement passes through
the center of the camshaft. Mainly the movement of the
follower is in line. The follower is in a reciprocating motion.
Offset Follower:
In this type of follower, the movement of the axis of the
follower is not colinear with the cam axis.
Cam Mechanism:
Cam is a mechanical component which is a rotating circle or
eclipse about the minor axis of the Follower.
Hence it can be explained easily that Cam is a mechanical
component that transmits reciprocating, oscillating or linear
motion to Follower.
This outer burge is very useful and effective for works which
are periodic mechanical. There are two types of Head Cams.
First is Single Head Cam and the second is Multiple Head
Cam.
Follower Mechanism:
A follower is a mechanical component concerning which, the
Cam rotates in an oscillatory or circular motion. Follower
inhibits the push and pulls of the Cam. A follower is used to
transfer the motion to the required machine part.
Base Circle:
It is the smallest circle of a cam profile drawn from the center
of rotation of the cam.
Trace Point:
By this point, we can trace the cam profile.
Pitch Curve:
This curve is generated if we assume the cam is fixed and the
tracepoint of the follower moves around the cam.
Pressure Angle:
It is formed between normal to the pitch curve and line of
motion of the follower.
Pitch Point:
At this point the pressure angle is maximum.
Pitch Circle:
It is the circle which passes through the pitch point.
Prime Circle:
This is a circle that drawn tangentially to the pitch curve and
concentric to the base circle.
Applications of Cam and Follower:
There are so many different applications of Cam and
Follower mechanism. Those are:
Conclusion:
Cam follower mechanism plays a significant role as it utilized
to drive a minute machine component seamlessly. Central
locks and ordinary lock systems are also developed by
incorporating the mechanism of cam and follower.
At first, the user should aware of the links and pairs before
understanding the conception of cam and follower.
Cam is a higher pair device thus, the user should grant the
degree of freedom to apply the same in a machine
component. Lastly, it can be recommended that the pressure
angle should not be increased by the user to restrict the
potential impact of side thrust.